Bread-toaster.



AL A. HILL.

BREAD TOASTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 17,l9I 5.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

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t m1" TED sTA Es ARTHUR AanILL, or NEW BREAD-momma To all whom it mdy concern. I

Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. HILL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at the v.eity of New York, in the borough of Man hattan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bread-Toasters, of which the following is a full, clear, and :exact description.

This invention relates to bread toasters .adapted for use in restaurants, grills, hotels and like places where the daily consumption of toast is high, and has for its object the provision of a device upon which slices of bread may be toasted to an even brown upon both sides and produced in large quantities in a relatively short period of, time.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a toasterin which the feeding and discharging of the bread and toast from the device is performed with the greatest ease and facility, the placing of a fresh slice of bread in the toaster ejecting" the one which has been toasted. v

My invention contemplates utilizing the general principle of an endless carrier or conveyer having a plurality of holders or magazines mounted thereon, which are heated by gas burners. I am: aware that bake ovens for pies and like articles have been constructed .upon this general principle, but i heretofore it has been the practice to'arrange a gas burner above and another below act to be toasted to a less degree than is the' side which is toasted from the upwardly-dilower runs of the. carrier, respectively, a row rec-ted fiames' Mv invention therefore contemplates arranging below the upper and of gas burners, the flames from each row beingdirected upwardly and constructed so as to produce substantially the same degree of heat. The currents of air which are set in circulationaround the toaster do not then materially affect thedirection of the flames, and the toast in this manner may be evenly browned on both sides without turning the holder relatively to the carrier.

Specification of Letters Patent.

YORK, N. Y.--'

v Patented iens, "1916.; Application filed July -17 19'15, 1 Serial No. 40,530.

In order to prevent'the flames froni the lij gas burners striking directly upon the. slices 1 of thebread, perforated plates are arranged;

between them and the holders or magazines for the slices of bread. The plate interposed between the lower series of gas bur d, f the holders will also vserve as a deflector to v prevent currents of air being set up, which a would affect the flames fromthe upper series of gas burners to cause the toast to be browned more on one side than on the other.

If; desired, an extra deflector may also" be provided between the two rows of gasburners'for the same purpose,

1 My invention also contemplatesapeculiar form of holder or inagazine'for the toast.

These holders or magazines comprise skeleton cages, and my invention consists in pro- 'vidingsuch a cage with theend faces there-- of, which are parallel to the endless" carrier,

open so-that after the slice of bread hasbeen' toasted, 'a' fresh piece of bread may be. in-

serted in the holder from one .end, which will'cause the ejection, of the-toasted piece i through the other open end of the holder.

In this manner, the output ofthe toaster is materially increased,s1 nce it is not necessary to stop the machine to-iremove the toasted slices and replacethem with fresh'ones.

In the accompanying drawing, I have "shown one practical embodiment of the in- Qvention.

l Figurel shows a side elevation of a bread toaster constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; Fig.2 is a've'rtical section takenon the line 2 -.2,' looking 5 in the direction of the arrow; Fig."3is a similar section taken on the line 3-3, look.-

ing in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail "of the endless carrier 'and' associated parts; Fig. 5 shows in per- Y spective one of the magazines or holders; 3 and Fig.' 6 is a similarview of the link or.

piece which connects the magazine or holder to the endless carrier.

The skeletonendlesscarrier whichcom-ii; prises two chains 1 and 2, may be-supported I and moved in any suitable manner, In the specific embodiment shown, the supporting 6 frame comprises two pairs'of le s or uprights 3, 3 and 4, 4, thepairs o uprights-"=1.

being maintained in spaced relation to each other by cross pieces 5 and 6, respectively,

which cross pieces are secured-to the legs by welding or in any other desired manner;=

The legs of each pair are also maintained or bolt 8, while the uprights 3 and 3 are connected by a shaft or spindle 9. Mounted upon the spindle 9, one adjacent the inner face of each of the uprights, are two sprocket wheels which are fastened to v the shaftto rotate therewith, as by the set screws 11. One end of the shaft 9 extends exteriorly of the upright 3 and has secured to it a gear 12, which, together with the sprocket wheels 10, 10, hold the uprights 3,

o 3 in spaced relation to each other at their upper ends. Mounted on a suitable stub shaft 13 supported by the leg 3 is a pinion 14 which meshes with the gear wheel 12. The stub shaft 13 maybe driven manually, as by a crank or if desired, by means of a spring or electric motor. inner faces of the uprights 4, 4, are semicircular or curved tracks 16 which, with the sprocket wheels 10, support the endless chains 1 and 2. These-tracks are U-shaped in cross section, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and will therefore prevent the chains from lateral displacement. Between the sprocket Wheels and the curved tracks 16, the upper" 1 half of the two chains 1 and 2 rest in U- shaped tracks 17 which prevent any sagging of the chains.

Mounted upon the chains 1 and 2 are a' plurality of holders or magazines, 19, each of which is adapted to receive a slice of the bread which is to be toasted. In the form shown, each of these holders comprises wire cages consisting of side pieces 20, 20 of relatively narrow strips of sheet metal bent into substantially rectangular shape. These side pieces are secured to the chains land 2 by the L-shaped links 21, one leg of a link being inserted between the links of the chain and the other leg being riveted to the strips 20, or otherwise secured thereto. The ends of the side pieces 20 need not be joined, as shown, but this is unimportant. Connecting the side pieces 20 area plurality of slender Y side pieces in any suitable manner.

cage thus formed incloses the slice of bread,

rods or Wires 22 which are secured to the The on four sides, but leaves the endswhich are parallel to the endless carrier, 71. 6., the chains 1 and-2, open, 'so that the toast or bread may be ejected from or inserted 'laterally into the holder. This last named feature is important and will be referred to in thedescription of the operation of the device.

The bread is toasted by means of two rows of gas burners 24. and 25, which are ar- 'ranged below the upper and lower runs of the skeleton carrier, respectively. Each burner of a row, in the construction shown,

Secured to the comprises a straight tubular member 26 provided with a plurality of jet openings 27 in its upper face, so that the flames which issue from the burner will be directed upwardly, as will be later referred to. The tubular members 26are closed at one end and are connected at the other end to Ts 28, the Ts of each row being joined together to provide two pipes, one end of each of which is closed as by a cap 29, and the other end of which is connected to pipes 30 and 30, which are connected by elbows 31 and short connecting pieces to a T 32 which communicates with a supply of gas 34 adapted to be controlled by a valve 35. The pipes 30 and 31 are each secured to the upright'3 of the frame by means of straps '36. Secured to the upright 4 is a U-shaped strip or bar 37, the extremity of the legs of which are bent at right angles to the m'ain portion of the same, and are secured to the caps v29. The gas burners are thus rigidly positioned below the upper and lower runs of the carrier and their connections with the uprights 3 and 4 will also serve to maintain the uprights of the frame in spaced relation to eachother. Arranged beneath the holders on each run of the endless carrier are screens lower face of an inwardly projecting flange 40 carried by each of the cross pieces 5 and 6. The flanges 40 on the cross pieces serve as a track for the holders and will prevent the lower run of the carrier from sagging or from being laterally displaced, similar t the tracks 17 for the upper run,

The carrier is protected by a hood or top 42 comprising a strip of sheet metal of a width substantially that of the holders and extending over the top of the toaster and around the ends thereof, the hood being secured at its lower ends to the stays or bolts 7. Secured to this top and to the upright 4 1s a chute 43 having an incline 44 upon which the toast, as it is ejected from the holder, drops, from'which it may be transferred to a suitable receptacle, as a basket or pan 45. A third perforated plate or screen 46.may be 'used, which rests .upon the stay or bolt 8 and the spindle or shaft 9,

The operation of the toaster obvious from the description, but'will be briefly set forth. Assuming that the gas has been v foratedplates or screens 38 'and39 will soon.-

become highly heatedsimilar to the screens used [in an ordinary bread toaster.- The" screens 39 and46 also serve as deflectors toi.

I I possible.

. in the direction of the arrow in I and that thepiece 47 has just'been inserted turned on -a nd the burners lighted, the perprevent currentsof ai r passing directly upwardly-thr'ough the toaster and thus affect ing the flames from theupper rows of'burn j ers.- This is important since it is essential to construct the gas burners so that the screens 38 and 39 will be heated to approximatel ythesame temperature, and to do this,-

air currents should be avoided in so far as.

has been designated'47, are inserted laterally 'into each of the holders as they in their travel reach the end'of the device adjacent. the chute 43.; Assuming that. the rotation of the shaft 1 3 is 'suchthat the carrier moves Fig. 1,

in the holder. As thecarrier 'moves, the

underside of this piece will be toasted by its 1 slow movement, over the highly heated screen 38 which is maintained at the desired temperature by the gas burners and as the carrier continues rotating, the piece of bread w1ll finally reach the lower run of the carrier in a reversed position to-that which it occu pied upon the upper run The upper face of the slice will then be toasted in the same I manner by passingover the heated screen 39 and as the gas burners are arranged so that the intensity of theheat of thesc'reens is substantially the same, the. piece .will, be toasted to an' even'brown upon both sides.

As the piece reaches the end of the carrier pieces have been toasted. Y It will thereforebe seenthat'I havepro at which it was inserted, the operator stands ready with a fresh slice of bread to replace the toasted ones. This is done by pushing or inserting the fresh piece laterally into the I v holder which will cause the toasted piece to be 'ejected, droppinginto the. chute and receptacle as shown in dotted lines in 2.

It is therefore unnecessary tostop the toaster to replace the toasted" slices with fresh slices of bread and the operation of the device will therefore be continuous untilthe desired quantity of toast isobt'ained. The speed of movement of the endless carrier depends upon the intensity of the heat produced by the gas burners and the length of the upper andlower runs of the carrier, and may be readily determined after several vided a toaster by which large quantities of -t0ast of an even grade, may be produced in 1 .i f? a short period of time, r

I claim: 1. In a bread toaster,an endless skeleton carrier, a plurality of gas burners arrangedbelow the upper andlower runsof the car- After the burners have been lighted, or if desired even'before this has. been done, the slices of bread, one of which if 3. In a bread toaster, an

rier, respectively, said burners having their jets arranged to direct 'fl-ames issuing there.

fromupwardly, a plurality of skeleton hold f adapted to receive a slice of bread ers each to, be toasted mounted on said carrier, and screens interposed between the .gas burners andthe .upper and lower 'runsof the carrier," A

respectively; 2. J-Ina "bread carrier, a plurality of gas burners arranged below the upper and lower runs'of the carrier, respectively, said burners'having their jets arranged to'direct flames issuing therefrom upwardly, a plurality of-skeleton holdf ers each adapted to receive a slice of'bread to be toasted mounted on said carrier,

screens interposed between the gas burners toaster, an endless skeleton and theupper and lower runs of thecarrier,

respectively, and a deflector arranged befaces thereof parallel to the endless carrier open. whereby the emplacing of a slice of,

breadto be toasted in the holder will eject the piece which has been toasted, and screens interposed between-the rows of gas burners and'the upper and lower runsof the carrier, respectively.

4. In a bread toaster, anendless skeleton 7 carrier, a row of gas burners arranged below .the upper andv lower. runs of the carr1er,-re-

spectively, said burners having their jets arupwardly; a plurality of skeleton holders mounted on said carr1er,.each,of said holders comprising a' substantially rectangular [skeleton cage having the opposite end faces 116s rangedto direct. flames issuing therefrom' thereof parallel to the endless carrier open whereby the emplacing of a slice of bread to be, toasted in the holder will'e ect the piece which'h'asbeen toasted, a chute arranged at one end of said endless carrier arranged to receive the toasted pieceswhen e ected from the holders, and'screens interposed between the rows of gas burners and the upper and .lower runs ofthe carrier, respectively.

5; iInabread toaster, an endless skeleton carrier comprising two endless, belts, a plu rality of skeleton holders mounted upon said belts in spaced relationt'o each other, pulleys, one at one end ofeach of said-belts,'a semicirculanguide for the other end of each of;

said belts, a row of gas burnersarranged below the upper and lower ends of said carrier,

respectively, said burner's having their jets arranged to cause the, fiamesissuing therefrom to be directed upwardly, and screens 1 respectively.

arranged between the rows of burners and chains, a row of gas burners arranged below the upper'and lower runs of said carrier, respectively, said burners having their jets arranged to direct names issuing therefrom upwardly, and screens arranged between the rows of gas burners and the upper and lower runs of said carrier, resnectivelv.

7. In a bread toaster, a skeleton endless carrier comprislng two spaced endless chains, a plurality of holders mounted on said chains and maintaining them lnspaced relation to each other, each of said holders comprising a wire cag e secured at its ends to said chains, sprocket wheels one at one end of each of said chains, semi-circular guides for the other ends of each of said chains, tracks in which the upper half of each of said chains rides, said guides forming a continuation of said tracks, guides for the holders on the lower half of said carrier for preventing the sagging of the chain and lateral displacement of the holders, a row of gas burners arranged below the upper and lower runs of said carrier, respectively, said burners having their jets arranged to direct flames issuing therefrom upwardly, and screens arranged between the rows of gas burners and the upper and lower runs of said-carrier, respectively.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

" ARTHUR A; HILL.

Witnesses; v

WALDO M. ()HAPIN, MARY G. HART, 

